Hoisting cradle



Juhe 16, 1953 A. 1'. GERMAN HOISTING CRADLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1948 Inventor: Aloys T. German his. Attorney June 16, 1953 G R A 2,642,198

HOISTING CRADLE Filed Sept. 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Aloys T. German FIG 2 FIG. 4:

Patented June 16, 1953 f UNITED sures "ATENT O'FFlCE Claims. 1 I v This invention relates to hoists for vehicles and the like and to hoisting cradles therefor.

The primary object of .the invention is to proyide an improved :vehiclehoist which is self- ,adjusting and readily accessible, adaptedito nan-. dle .vehicles of different sizewithoutadjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an articulated hoisting cradle for vehicles and like hoists which is adapted to automatically adjust itself to and vgrip vehicle wheels of differentsize.

Anadditional object of the invention is :to provide an improved vehicle hoist having-means for preventing interference 'by the hoisting mechanism with access of a vehicle to the hoist.

A .further object of the invention-is to provide an improved movable hoist iforvehicles and the like which is of relatively-simple and rugged construction andefiicient in operation,

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description,- be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; in which: i

Figure l is a perspective viewof a movable hoist embodying the invention.

I Figure .2 is a fragmentaryside elevational View of the hoist showing the cradle in'lowered or rest position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the hoisting cradle in the position shown in I construction, or-nliminated altogether and replaced by suitable fittings on the overhead structure of a building or the like, the illustrated hoist is of the portable or movable type, the most suitable fram for this purpose combining lightness in weight with adequate strength.

To obtain the desired mobility the illustrated frame is provided with spaced base members 2 which may be in the form of angle-irons and areadapted to lie on the ground or other surface. Surmounting the base members are sides, posts or uprights 3, each of which may be formed of a pair of angle-irons 4 spaced at their lower v ends along the bases 2 and converging toward their upper ends. Adjacent their upper ends the opposite sides are connected by a crosshead or beam 5. As will be observed, the several members of the frame are suitably connected and cross-braced and may be joined by welding or bolting, depending on' whether the frame is to be disassembleable.

Within the frame is a hoisting cradle support or suspension member 6 on which the diagrammatically illustrated wheels 1 at one or the other end of a truck or other vehicle are supported, and through which that end of the truck may be raised or hoisted for dumping inspection or other purpose. As will later be apparent, the cradle is articulated or flexible, being formed of a plurality of relatively movable connected parts or segments. In detail the articulated cradle comprises a wheel-receiving or seating central seat, platform, panel or segment 8, preferably formed of spaced parallelly disposed bars or rods 9, rigidly connected at their outer ends through end or cross plates G8. On either side of this seat are wheel-gripping side arms, panels or segments H which are hingedly or pivotally attached adjacent their ends to the contiguous sides of the central panel. These side arms preferably are formed ofbars disposed parallel to the bars 9 of the seat and through their hinged linkages are enabled to swing or pivot freely relative to the central section. The'hinged connection may be obtained by affixing to either end of each side bar an end plate I2, the end plates of each side bar being adapted to'overlap and be hingedly attached to the corresponding end plates Ill of the seat 8 through bolts or like means It.

The hoisting cradle is designed such that on being hoisted, lifted or elevated the outer arms 5 i will first be swung up or in toward each other and the seat 8 will then be lifted through the panels. For this purpose the cradle 6 is provided with bales Hi, the bale arms I5 of which are pivotally or flexibly connected adjacent their upper ends. The lower ends of these bale arms are, in turn, swivelly connected or attached to the cradle through eye bolts l6 secured to the opposite ends of the side or outer panels I l intermediate the sides thereof and outwardly of the seat 8. Each eye bolt may have an extension arm 5'! adjacent the outer end of which is anchored one or the lower end of a coil spring-or other resilient means 18, the other or upper end of the spring being attached to the adjacent or corresponding bale arm i5 upwardly ofitslower end. These springs or other resilient means are designed to be under load except when tilted outwardly relative to the platform, thus causing commodate both cables.

them to return or be restored to their outwardly tilted or normal position whenever any force applied to the bales is released.

For hoisting, lifting or raising the hoisting cradle 5 there is attached to the upper end of each of the bales through a ring [9 a hoisting cable 20. These cables may be run through pulleys 2| attached to and depending from the crossbeam 5 adjacent its opposite ends and thence to one or more hoisting drums or like means 22 which may be rotated or turned manually or by power through suitable reduction gearing 23. In the illustrated embodiment both cables are joined outwardly of the frame and led through a common lead to a single hoisting drum, the latter being mounted on one side of the frame i and the pulley 21 on that side of the frame being preferably double sheaved to ac- As shown, each of the pulleys overlies one end of the hoisting cradle such that the bales are disposed substantially vertically during lifting. To enable the bales to be normally in outwardly tilted positions the sides 3 of the frame are spaced or removed from the ends of the hoisting cradle, this being accomplished in the illustrated form by tilting or slanting the sides outwardly from their upper ends toward the bases 2.

In operation, the hoist of the present invention is placed in any desired location with its base members 2 resting on the ground or other suitable surface, and the hoisting cradle 6 resting on the same surface. The cables 20 then being released or untensioned the several segments of the articulated cradle 6 lie flat on the surface and the bale arms are tilted outwardly. The truck or other vehicle to be hoisted is then run onto the cradle until the wheels 1 at one end are received, seated or supported on the seat 8, the bars 9 forming the sides of the seat, by providing a depression therebetween, centering the wheels substantially along the longitudinal center line of the panel. The bales then being untensioned are outwardly tilted and cannot interfere with the Wheels. On tensioning of the cables 20 the side panels H are pulled or swung up until they abut, engage or conform to the rim or periphery of the wheels, thereby forming chocks or stops on either side of the wheels which by their chocking or gripping action prevent displacement of the vehicle from the cradle or support 6. Since the extent of movement or swinging of the side panels is dependent only upon the outside diameter of the wheels, the cradle is self-adjusting and enabled to accommodate or cradle automatically wheels of different size. The cradle, then being in taut, erect or operative position, on further rotation of the hoisting drum 22 lifts the seat or supporting panel 8 and hoists, elevates or lifts the supported end of the vehicle. When the operation for which the vehicle was hoisted is completed, the cables are untensioned, lowering the hoisting cradle to the ground, where it again assumes its normal collapsed, slack or untensioned position flat on the ground with the bales tilted outwardly, enabling the vehicle to be run 01f the platform without interference.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided a hoist of novel construction having a hoisting cradle capable of receiving and automatically adjusting itself to vehicle wheels of any size and having hoisting means prevented from interfering with the vehicle when run either on or 01f the cradle. It should be understood that the described and 4 disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart either from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a hoist for vehicles and the likea hoisting cradle comprising a wheel-receiving seat, arms hingedly attached to either side of said seat for gripping wheels therebetween, and bales swivelly connected to either side of said arms outwardly of said seat, said bales being connected to and operative through hoisting means for moving said arms into wheel-engaging position and lifting said seat through said arms, and means connected to said bales and opposing said hoisting means for normally maintaining said bales clear of said seat.

1 2. In a hoist for vehicles and the like an articulated cradle comprising a wheel-receiving central segment, wheel-chocking arms hingedly attached to either side of said segment, bales swivelly connected to opposite ends of said arms outwardly of said segment for moving said arms into wheelengaging position and raising said segment therethrough, and resilient means for normally main taining said bales in outwardly tilted position relative to the ends of said seat.

3. A hoist for vehicles and the like comprising a wheel-receiving seat formed of spaced parallel bars rigidly connected at opposite ends by end plates, side bars spaced outwardly of the bars of said seat on either side thereof and hingedly connected thereto, bales swivelly connected to said side bars outwardly of said seat bars, means for normally urging said bales outwardly clear of said seat, and hoisting means separate from said maintaining means and operative through said bales for moving said side bars into wheelengaging position and lifting said seat therethrough.

4. A hoist for vehicles and the like comprising a wheel-receiving seat formed of spaced parallel bars rigidly connected at opposite ends by end plates, side bars spaced outwardly of the bars of said seat on either side thereof and hingedly connected thereto, bales swivelly connected to said side bars outwardly of said seat bars, resilient means connecting said bales and side bars for normally maintaining said bales in outwardly tilted position relative to said seat, and hoisting means operative through said bales for moving said side bars into wheel-engaging position and lifting said seat therethrough.

5. In a hoist for vehicles and the like, a hoisting cradle having a relatively rigid wheel-receiving seat, members hingedly attached to opposite ends of said seat for gripping a wheel therebetween, bales having flexibly connected bale arms each swivelly connected to an end of one of said members, and spring means connecting each of said bale arms to its associated engaging member for normally maintaining said bales in outwardly tilted position relative to said seat.

ALOYS T. GERMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pollard May 23, 1950 

